Power of News

This is the story of Reuters, the international news agency. In 1851 Julius Reuter set up the London organization which was eventually to extend throughout most of the world. Over a century later, Reuters was first with the news of the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961, and then first with the story of its breaching in 1989. The Power of News is a fascinating account of the company which for almost 150 years has brought us history as it is being made. Donald Read's authoritative and readable history of Reuters shows how the company has always been in the forefront of communications technology, from the days of pigeon post and the first transatlantic cables to the age of the satellite and computer link. For a century Reuters was especially the news agency of the British Empire. As Britain's imperial power faded, Reuters moved into selling economic information to the world trading community, a venture that generated pre-tax profits of £280 million during the 1980s. Equally lucrative was the flotation of Reuters as a public company in 1984. Throughout all these exciting changes Reuters has tried to remain committed to `truth in news', a commitment watched over by the Reuter Trust, created in 1941. For this second edition, Professor Read has revised and completely rewritten the text, using fresh research to open up in particular the imperial dimension of Reuter history and highlighting to a greater extent the personalities who played important parts in the company's story. `From secret messages hidden in an engine driver's sandwiches to the chartering of special steamers and now instantaneous news via satellites, the story is compelling', Lloyd's List `Reuters was to news what Rolls-Royce is to cars and Lords is to cricket . . . the biggest story to come out of Reuters is its own', Daily Mail `The remarkable history of an institution and its visionary founder', Financial Times `a fascinating, solidly researched, and well-written book', The Scotsman

Donald Read is Emeritus Professor of Modern English History at the University of Kent.